Q & A with ACTION missionary Catie Smith

Overview: My ministry is on the island of Iloilo, and I live in the context of a refugee resettlement community where families relocated after a devastating typhoon in 2014. My focus is discipleship and evangelism on the island, reaching the poor locally and also on other remote islands. Through incarnational living, God is establishing communities of believers for His glory and the joy of the Filipino people!

1. What are some ministry tasks that you want the intern to accomplish while serving with you?

Phase 1: Primary responsibility is to learn language and culture and observe cross-cultural living and ministry.

Phase 2: Discern where the community’s needs and the intern’s God-given passions intersect.  Create a plan under the supervision of the leading missionary (Catie Smith) to put this discernment into action.

Phase 3: Carry out the plan created from Phase 2 under the supervision of the leading missionary.

2. What are some key lessons from your ministry and walk with the Lord that you want to impart to the interns to help them as they consider their own individual call to missions or vocational ministry?

• To be confident in hearing the voice of the Father and yielding to the Holy Spirit’s leading in their life
• To do ministry from a mental and heart state of rest and not to be anxious or program-driven
• To be prayer-driven and to live an intercessory lifestyle

3. What would a typical day look like?

Flexibility is a must, as no day is ever typical. But these are some regular activities in the ministry: one hour of daily prayer for the community, fetching water for daily needs from a nearby well, cooking our own meals, planning lessons, hosting classes, visiting neighbors and attending community events, a weekly shared meal with the local team, Wednesday and Sunday services at our partner church, 3:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. daily cooking and serving for “Breakfast for Kids,” visiting islands teaching or organizing classes, traveling to town via motorcycle to get food or to check emails, midday naps, and much more!

4. Please list specific skills an intern may expect to develop by the time the internship is completed.

• Student-driven language learning
• Network and communication with others to turn vision into reality
• Flexibility without compromising on God’s direction
• Navigating transition and cross-cultural experiences in a healthy way
• Create and manage a budget with accountability

Internships of 6 to 9 months can be scheduled year-round with approval!